Chapter 9: Striking When the Time is Right!
Even after becoming a girl, Luffy's inherent emphasis on "promises" remained completely unchanged.
This was precisely why she could understand and respect Zoro's persistence, which others might view as nearly masochistic.
It was a vow made by a man with his very life and dignity.
Similarly, when Ralph declared with unwavering determination that he would personally defeat Morgan, Luffy saw this as an equally solemn promise—a commitment to oneself regarding dignity and growth.
Though no system notification sounded, Ralph had a premonition that fulfilling this promise would naturally lead to an increase in favorability.
The three of them first found the little girl who had brought rice balls to Zoro, fulfilling his request.
"Thank you for the rice balls," Luffy conveyed Zoro's gratitude on his behalf. "He said... they were delicious."
Upon hearing the message, the little girl named Rika blushed with shy delight: "No, no need to thank me! Mr. Zoro got into trouble because he saved me... This is the least I could do."
When she learned from Koby that Ralph and the others might be pursued for opposing Morgan, the kind-hearted girl hardly hesitated before whispering urgently, "You're good people! Quick, hide at my place first!"
This unreserved kindness struck Ralph deeply.
The world of One Piece... truly had both its harsh realities and such purely fairytale-like goodwill.
However, this kindness came at a cost. When Rika's mother saw her daughter bringing three clearly "troublesome" strangers home, her face instantly turned pale as she sternly scolded Rika.
"Mom, they're not bad people! Mr. Zoro is good, so his friends must be good too!" Rika argued anxiously.
Luffy quickly waved her hands, flashing her most infectious bright smile: "We won't cause any trouble! We just need some food—we'll leave as soon as we've eaten!"
It was then that Ralph pulled two gleaming gold coins from his pocket.
These were spoils he'd taken from Alvida's treasure chest. Having never seen so much gold in his previous life, he'd habitually pocketed two coins—never expecting they'd prove useful so soon.
Rika's mother stared blankly at the gold coins in her hand.
Ralph's reasoning was simple: These people were risking their safety to shelter them and provide food out of immense kindness—what right did he have to let good people suffer losses? Especially a widow and her orphaned daughter who must be struggling under Morgan's oppressive rule.
Looking between the gold coins and the three youths' sincere expressions, Rika's mother finally relaxed her tense expression. Silently pocketing the coins, she turned to prepare food—a tacit approval of their stay.
After a simple yet stomach-satisfying meal, Ralph felt his stamina recovering considerably, though his body—especially his legs—still throbbed with intense pain. These were the aftereffects of overusing Soru.
Leaning against the wall while feeling the muscle aches, he thought ruefully:
I'm still far from ready. If this were Luffy, she'd probably be bouncing around after a meal, even powering up on the spot. The dimensional gap between a protagonist's physique and an ordinary person's remains vast.
Just then, commotion from outside the house shattered the town's tranquility.
It's Helmeppo!
He was leading a squad of marines, swaggering down the street, forcing the townspeople to kneel as they answered, harshly demanding if they had seen any outsiders.
The atmosphere in the house instantly grew tense. Rika and her mother turned pale, even their breathing grew quiet. Luffy also unusually fell silent, knowing she absolutely must not cause trouble for the mother and daughter who had taken them in.
However, fear often attracts the very thing dreaded.
The sound of disorderly footsteps and shouts grew closer and closer, finally stopping right outside their door.
"Hide!" Ralph commanded in a low voice. The three reacted instantly, swiftly concealing themselves in the small storage room inside the house.
The front door was violently kicked open. Rika's mother shielded her daughter behind her, forcing herself to appear calm as she watched Helmeppo and the marines barge in, assuming they were there to search for Ralph and the others.
However, Helmeppo's eyes, bloodshot from fear and bluster, were fixed intently on little Rika.
"Seize that little girl!" he shrieked, his voice distorted by tension.
"Wh-... why?" Rika's mother asked in terror, clutching her daughter tighter.
"Why?" Helmeppo blustered, his fierceness a thin veneer for his cowardice. "She dared to give onigiri to that pirate hunter Zoro! This is a provocation against the great Colonel Morgan! It's a capital crime! My father ordered me to execute her!"
These words struck Rika and her mother like a thunderbolt, and even the hidden trio of Ralph, Luffy, and Koby were stunned.
What a joke! Being executed for giving a rice ball to a persecuted man? And the accused was just a little girl who didn't understand anything!
Helmeppo was trembling uncontrollably all over.
He was arrogant and tyrannical, bullying men and women alike, but he had never personally killed anyone, especially not an unarmed little girl, and he lacked the courage for it. The marines behind him also showed struggle and reluctance on their faces, but under Morgan's accumulated authority, if they didn't act, they and even their families would suffer.
At this suffocating impasse, seeing the despair in Rika's mother's eyes and the fearful tears of the little girl, all thoughts of systems, favorability points, and long-term plans vanished from Ralph's mind!
Without time to think, and ignoring the pain still wracking his body, an uncontrollable rage drove his actions!
"Soru!"
In a flash, Ralph shot out from the hiding place like a ghost. The next moment, a cold dagger was pressed tightly against the carotid artery on Helmeppo's neck.
"Nobody move! Drop your guns!" Ralph's voice was cold as iron, carrying an undeniable killing intent.
This sudden turn of events left all the marines dumbfounded. They stared in shock at the suddenly appeared Ralph, and at their young master Helmeppo, whom he held hostage, scared nearly out of his wits.
After a brief hesitation, pressured by Ralph's more forceful blade and their own deep-seated resistance to the order, the marines almost with relief, and very cooperatively, threw their flintlock guns on the ground.
"Lufia! Koby! Tie them all up!" Ralph shouted.
Luffy and Koby immediately rushed out. Using rope found in the house, they deftly trussed up the entire marine squad along with Helmeppo like a tied-up sausage, then pushed them all out onto the main street outside.
This scene was witnessed by many townsfolk peeking through cracks in doors and windows. Their faces showed no joy, only deeper fear—fear of Morgan's cruel retaliation.
Unrestrained:
Ralph walked to the center of the street, surveyed the terrified faces, took a deep breath, and declared loudly enough for all to hear:
"Listen up! We are pirates! We hereby officially announce our attack on this Shells Town Marine base!"
"All of you are being coerced by us! You have no choice in the matter!"
"Next, we're going to take down that Colonel Morgan! Whatever happens next has nothing to do with any of you!"
These words fell like a boulder into stagnant water, creating massive ripples. The townspeople stared at Ralph in stunned disbelief.
[System Prompt: Luffy deeply approves of and commends your initiative in taking responsibility and protecting the vulnerable. Favorability +5%.]
Luffy walked to Ralph's side and gave his back a firm pat, her smile brighter than sunlight: "Well done, Ralph! That's exactly how it should be!"
She looked at Ralph with blazing eyes: "So, are you ready? Is your body holding up?"
Ralph was still in considerable pain, but his rage toward Morgan seemed to have dulled the sensation. He grinned, a smile filled with pirate-like wildness:
"What kind of perfect preparation is there? You strike when the moment calls for it!"
These words acted like a lit fuse, making Luffy's smile instantly shine even more brilliantly, as if she had just heard the most wonderful declaration in the world!
Even Koby nearby seemed completely swept up by this fervor, his blood boiling with excitement, entirely forgetting that Ralph had just lumped him into the "pirate" category during the speech.
"Let's go!" Luffy waved a fist, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Let's knock that Morgan flying!" Ralph tightened his grip on his dagger, eyes sharp.
"Let's... let's save this town!" Koby mustered his courage and shouted.